Pantelleria-Style Salad
Insalata Pantesca comes from the island of Pantelleria, a tiny volcanic island off the coast of Sicily. It's a salad built on contrast: tender, earthy potatoes against bright cherry tomatoes, briny capers and salty olives — all brought together with a simple dressing of good olive oil and a splash of vinegar.
The beauty of this dish is its honesty. There's no lettuce to wilt, no fussy technique — just a handful of excellent ingredients left to do what they do best. The potatoes soak up the dressing as they sit, becoming more flavourful the longer you leave them.
It's a wonderful side alongside grilled mackerel or tinned tuna, but it also makes a very satisfying light lunch on its own. Let it rest at room temperature before serving — it tastes far better than straight from the fridge.
Ingredients
- 500g firm waxy potatoes
- 200g cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp capers (rinsed thoroughly)
- 50g pitted black olives
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar (apple or red wine)
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- A few fresh basil leaves
Method
- Boil the potatoes in their skins until tender but still firm. Drain and allow them to cool completely before peeling and cutting into bite-sized chunks.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes and place them in a large bowl with the potatoes, olives, and rinsed capers.
- In a small jar or bowl, whisk the extra virgin olive oil with the vinegar and dried oregano until combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to ensure the potatoes absorb the oil and vinegar without breaking apart.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, tear over the fresh basil, and let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to deepen.
Nutritional Analysis
Assuming 2 servings.
Total Recipe: Calories: 948.0 kcal | Protein: 12.4 g | Fat: 46.8 g | Fiber: 14.2 g
Per Serving: Calories: 474.0 kcal | Protein: 6.2 g | Fat: 23.4 g | Fiber: 7.1 g
Notes
We've left out onion to keep the flavours clean and focused. If you like it, thinly sliced red onion, soaked in a little vinegar for ten minutes first to take the edge off, can be added with the tomatoes.